Boeing closes South Carolina facility ahead of Hurricane Dorian

Share this news

Ahead of approaching Hurricane Dorian, Boeing anticipates that some of its manufacturing locations in the United States will be impacted. Operations at some facilities, including the South Carolina factory, have already been suspended, while the company “continues to monitor” situation at others.

“Your safety, and that of your family, is our highest priority,” Boeing states in a message to employees.

Operations at some sites have already been suspended, including C-17 operations at Joint Base Charleston – the U.S. Air Force base in South Carolina – and South Carolina. The latter site is one of two final assembly and delivery points for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing suspended operations at the site starting on September 2, 2019, warning employees “NOT” to return to work the following day and encouraging them to follow the government recommendations for the situation.

It is far from the first time Boeing South Carolina site falls into a path of a dangerous storm. A year ago, in September 2018, the site was closed in fear of Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Olivia.

Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 tropical cyclone with 325 km/h winds, is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record. On September 3, 2019, it is in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. On September 5, 2019, it is expected to hit mainland U.S., starting from South Carolina. Charleston falls into a zone, expected to be hit by the storm.

Weather services from all around the world have their eyes set on Hurricane Dorian. To predict its trajectory and intensity, a varied array of data is collected in real-time. In the United States, some of those measures are taken by planes. The daring pilots, known as Hurricane Hunters, belong to two units: the U.S. Air Force 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, and pilots from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.